Telling Petunia
by Livelier
Summary: Talking to Petunia Dursley isn't an easy thing. Telling her that her little sister is going to die is even harder. My take on the infamous Lily/Petunia relationship. A little L/J too. Oneshot! R&R?


A/N: Hey there! So I originally wrote this in honor of Lily's birthday, which is tomorrow, the 30th, but I am way too impatient to wait another 24 hours. :) So, here is my take on Lily and Petunia's controversial relationship. I hope you all enjoy it. R&R?

Telling Petunia

James props himself up on his elbow and peers sideways at me. "Don't be ridiculous, Lily," he says once I tell him of my plans.

When I didn't say anything, James's voice shoots up a few octaves and takes on an edge of panic. "Lily, you can't be serious about this!" His quivers slightly and cracks.

My lack of an answer solves that question for him. "How about we send Sirius instead?"

"That will go over well," I snort. "'Hi, Petunia! I just wanted to drop by to tell you that your sister has been marked for death. Lovely day, isn't it?'" I say in my best impression of Sirius's voice. "Forget it, James."

"Remus, then? He's a bit more tactful. Petunia might even like him!" James suggests. He was obviously hard-pressed to come up with something, anything that would keep me from leaving the safe confines of our small apartment.

I glance towards the small closet in the corner. "This is important, James," I say quietly. "She's the only sister I've got."

James settles back into the pillows, and sighs deeply. Neither of us says anything for a while. Out the window, the clouds took on a pink-orange hue as the sun rose above the London skyline in the distance.

I knew he would react this way, and if it were any less important, I would understand. But now that we are practically sentenced to death, I figure that I should at least tell my only last living family member that I might not be around by this time next year.

"Fine," agrees James at last. "But I'm coming with you."

I roll my eyes. "Now you're the one being ridiculous."

"I'm being completely serious, Lily."

"So am I."

"It's not safe for you to be out there! Especially not now," James exclaims, pointing his arm at the world outside of the window.

I glance toward the window, but all I see are the horrid streaks on the glass. "I really ought to clean that…" I mutter distractedly.

James shoots me an incredulous look. He waves his hand in front of my face.

"It's even less safe if both of us go out. It would attract too much attention," I point out, returning to our conversation as if there had never been a distraction.

It seems as though James could not disagree with my reason. "At least take the Cloak," he pleads, once he realized that arguing with me was futile.

"I can disguise myself better than any silly cloak can, James."

He sets his jaw angrily, and his voice takes on a warning tone. "Lily," he says between clenched teeth.

I shift so my head was resting on his chest. "I understand why you don't want me to go. Really, I do. But it's something I have to do."

"Why?" James whispers. Although he tries to he hide it, I know him well enough to detect a trace of fear in his voice.

"Because she's my sister, and I love her."

"She calls you a freak and she refused to come to our wedding," James points out.

I sigh, and try to put it in terms that he might understand. "If you and Sirius got into a big fight and stopped talking for a while, would you still want to tell him that you're going to die?"

"We're not going to die, Lils," James interjects quickly, but I can tell he didn't put much stock behind the words.

"Just," I say, closing my eyes, "answer the question."

"Yes, I suppose I would," he admits.

"So you see why I have to go?"

It was James's turn to close his eyes. "Yes."

I place a light kiss at the base of his neck. "I promise to be safe."

He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me on top of him. He kisses me softly, and brushes the hair away from my face. "I love you."

I smile, thinking that it would never get old. "Love you too."

After giving him another quick kiss, I push myself off of him and wander into the closet. I walk back into the room holding up two hangers. "Which do you think would make me look more like a Muggle teenager that's out walking her dog?"

James points at the outfit that hangs from my right hand. I reenter the closet just as he calls out, "Er, Hun, we don't have a dog."

An hour later, I was standing in the kitchen wearing my tight fitting jean capris, and a low-cut blouse from my Hogwarts days. James sidled into the room still in his pajama pants and white v-neck. As he passed me, he placed a kiss on my neck, causing the cereal box in my hands to shake. By the smirk on his face, I knew he had noticed.

I sit down at the little table and begin pushing the cereal under the milk with my spoon. The Daily Prophet is spread out in front of me. Feeling his eyes on me, I look up to find James staring at me from across the kitchen, where he stood by the pan on the stove.

"What?" I ask self-consciously, looking down to make sure I hadn't dribbled milk down the front of my shirt.

James just smiles and shakes his head while fiddling with the eggs in the skillet. "You wore that shirt on our first date, you know," he observes casually.

"No, I don't recall," I lie. I remember everything about that day. He met me at the entrance to the Great Hall and shyly produced a bouquet of flowers —Tiger lilies. He said they reminded him of me. At first I was a little shocked (I reminded him of a tiger?) but I figured he was so nervous I might as well let him off the hook.

"You spilled pumpkin juice all over your white shirt on our picnic," I remember with a laugh.

"It was awful. I'm always much more smooth," James assures me with a wink.

I roll my eyes. "Whatever." When we hear a knock on the door, I rise to open the door.

"Take your wand, just in case it's one of those charming Death Eaters," James instructs, pulling his own wand out from his pocket.

But there is no need. Sirius comes bursting through the door before either of us could reach it.

"I knocked, but there was no answer," he explained, strolling into the living room just like he owned the place.

"Well, maybe if you'd wait more than ten seconds," I grumble.

We walk into the kitchen. "Who was at the—?" James begins, expecting to see just me. "What is he doing here?" he asks, gesturing to Sirius with the spatula in his hand.

I shrug. "I needed a dog," I explain at the same time as Sirius says, "Lovely to see too, Prongs."

James smirks. "I hope you don't intend to put him on a leash."

Sirius glowers at his best mate.

I drink the rest of the milk in my cereal bowl, and place it in the sink. "Ready, Sirius?" I ask as I smoothed my hair back into a ponytail.

"Yeah, yeah." He waves his hands at us. "I'll just leave you lovebirds alone to say your goodbyes." And he sauntered from the room.

"We'll only be gone for a few hours," I say to his back, scrunching up my eyebrows.

James hooks his fingers through the belt loops of my jeans, and tugs me towards him. "Try not to die. I spent a lot of money on that ring," he advises, nuzzling my hair. I swat at his chest and start to open my mouth to complain, but he deftly silences me with his lips.

"Mmm, I love you," he mumbles against my mouth.

"You already said that this morning," I point out.

"That's because it's true."

"Whatever, Romeo."

James pulls away, and gives me a confused look. "What?"

I roll my eyes. "Never mind. I'll be back by noon…probably."

"Bye, wifey!" James waves.

"You're such a child," I mutter as I follow Sirius out the door.

Once the door is closed, I pull the long, purple leash from my bag, and dangle it in front of Sirius. He balks.

"Oh, _hell_ no!" He takes a staggering step backwards.

I grin wickedly. "Come on, Snuffles."

I grab his hand, and we turned on the spot. Keeping a specific destination in mind, we land rather wobbly on an empty crate in a dark alley a couple of blocks from Number 4 Privet Drive.

I let Sirius's hand go, and click the leash clip open. Sirius takes one look —glare, rather— at the leash, and morphs into his Animagus form. I pat "Snuffles" on the top of his head, and hook the leash onto his collar.

"Behave yourself," I lecture sternly, pointing my finger at him.

We start off towards Privet Drive along the tree-lined street. It was all a bit eerie: the perfectly uniform houses with their perfectly green grass, and perfectly waxed expensive cars in the driveway. I felt like I was stuck in a snow globe.

When we reach Number 4, I am not surprised to see yet another two-story, beige house with a traditional black door in front of me. Although it was a Saturday, Vernon must have been at work — his shiny, black Buick was nowhere to be seen.

I take a deep breath, and raise my fist to knock on the door.

There is a series of footsteps on the stairs, and Petunia shouts towards the door, "I'm not buying anything!" Then the door swings open.

"Oh," Petunia says, smoothing her wild hair back into place and the wrinkles of her apron out. "It's you."

Nice to see you too, Petunia. Really.

From the expression on her face, I think she might slam the door back in my face, but surprisingly, she doesn't. Her back stiffens as she catches sight of Snuffles.

"I didn't know you had a dog," she says coolly, glaring down at him.

"May I come inside?" I ask, pointedly ignoring her.

She raises her eyebrows at me but pushes the door wider. "The dog stays outside."

Padfoot shakes his head back and forth, as if to say, "there is no bloody way". Seconds later, Sirius is standing in his spot. Petunia looks like she might faint.

I glare at him. "Lovely timing," I say scathingly, stalking past him and a very frozen Petunia into the house. They both follow rather robotically.

Without invitation, I take a seat at the kitchen table. Upon seeing Petunia and Sirius's stares, I gestured to the chairs across from me. "Please, sit."

They do as I say. I fold my hands together in a business-like manner. "So, we need to talk."

"Obviously," Petunia mutters, glaring at Sirius, who seemed to be completely enamored with all of the spotless appliances.

"Petunia," I begin, getting right down to business, "when James and I die "

"_If_," Sirius interjects with a glower in my direction.

"Harry is going to need somewhere to stay, a family," I continue like I had never been interrupted.

Petunia's brow crumples, and her nose wrinkles up. "Who's Harry?"

"Harry is the name we've decided on for the baby," I answer, ignoring her obvious distaste for the name.

"My friend once had a tarantula named Harry."

"That's great, Sirius." Why did I bring him?

"So let me get this straight," Petunia says, shaking her head. "You want _me_… to take care of _your_ son?"

"When we die. Yes, that's right."

"_IF," _Sirius nearly yells again.

"I don't understand."

The words were definitely Petunia's but her mouth seemed frozen in place, her eyes disbelieving. For a moment, she almost looks frightened.

"What's there to understand?" I ask. My voice sounds softer even to my own ears.

Sirius takes this as his cue to leave. "Er, I'm going to go… to the loo." He walks away without asking where to find it.

"How are you so sure you are going to die?"

Is it just me or does she look…concerned?

I smile gently at her from across the circular table, and resist the urge to pat her hand like any other sister would do. "A few weeks ago, a prophecy was made. It said that a boy born at the end of July would be the one to defeat the Dark Lord some day." I pause. "Harry is due July 31, Petunia."

"But that's not fair. He's just a baby!" Petunia exclaims.

"I know."

"You're a witch! Shouldn't you be able to stop this? Can't you kill him first?" she asks, her voice taking on a desperate edge.

I shake my head. "I wish. We're doing everything we can. We've got some of the best protection the Ministry and the Order can offer. But I'm afraid it won't stop him. Once he sets his sights on someone, they don't live."

A single tear leaks from Petunia's eye. "I don't want you to die," she whispers so quietly I can hardly hear her.

I force a hard smile and will the tears back. "Me either."

I'm about to say how sorry I am that things didn't work out quite the way we had wanted them to, but Sirius comes running into the room.

"Er, Lils, I think someone is here," he says, panting. I wonder if he's that out of shape, or if really had run a ways.

Petunia stands up, and wipes the tears from her cheek. "That'll be Vernon," she says, rushing into the kitchen. "I was supposed to make him lunch."

She hurriedly sets a pan on the stove and begins slicing and dicing. When she turns to grab the cutting board, she sees us still standing in her kitchen. "You should probably leave now," Petunia says, turning to hide her puffy, red eyes from us.

I smile sadly at her, and grab Sirius's hand. "Yeah," I agree softly. "You'll come visit, won't you?"

Petunia nods, bobbing her head at rapid speed. "Yes, yes, of course," she promises quickly, but I know she doesn't mean it. Why should she?

As I hear the front door open, I take one last glance at my sister, and spin out of the room, and out of her life

* * *

_A/N: So there you have it! I'm currently really enjoying the Lily/Petunia aspect of Harry Potter, so you'll probably be seeing more of it. And since I'm the hopeless romantic that I am, I managed to work some Lily/James in there as well. Anyway, I hope you liked this oneshot! R&R please!_

_Love,_

_Livelier_


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